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Home / Equine Research Bank / Anim Cogn / Exploring horses’ (Equus caballus) gaze and asymmetric...
Animal cognition2024; 27(1); 67; doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01909-y

Exploring horses’ (Equus caballus) gaze and asymmetric ear position in relation to human attentional cues.

Abstract: Studies have shown that horses are sensitive to human attentional cues. Also, there is some evidence that they might be able to infer the knowledge state of a human and communicate intentionally with us. However, this ability is not fully characterized and certain behaviors, like gaze, asymmetric ears position or vocalizations, which could work as attention-getting behaviors, have been scarcely studied in this context. The aim of the present study was to assess whether horses' gaze toward a person, asymmetric ears position and vocalizations are subject to audience effects and adjust to human attentional cues, which would suggest a communicative function. For this purpose, we adapted a protocol used with domestic dogs [Kaminski et al. 2017] and observed horses' spontaneous behavior (gaze, asymmetric ears position and vocalizations) in the presence of a human holding and not holding food in an attentive position (facing the horse with open eyes) and in a non-attentive position (with her back turned towards the horse). We found significant evidence of horses being sensitive to human attentional cues (reflected in the horses' gaze duration and asymmetric position of the ears), but not of intentional communication towards humans.
© 2024. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2024-10-22 PubMed ID: 39436472PubMed Central: PMC11496336DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01909-yGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research paper explores the response of horses to human attention cues measured through behaviors like gaze, asymmetric ears position, and vocalizations. It asserts that horses show a sensitivity to human attentional cues but do not exhibit clear signs of intentional communication towards humans.

Objective of the Research

  • The main objective of this study was to assess whether behaviors of horses like their gaze, asymmetric ears position, and vocalizations adjusted according to human attentional cues, potentially suggesting a communicative function.

Methodology

  • The researchers adapted a protocol previously used with domestic dogs by Kaminski et al. in 2017.
  • Their method involved observing horses’ spontaneous behavior in the presence of a human holding and not holding food in two different positions: an attentive position (facing the horse with eyes open) and a non-attentive position (with their back turned towards the horse).

Findings

  • The researchers discovered significant evidence of horses being sensitive to human attentional cues.
  • This sensitivity was primarily reflected in the duration of the horses’ gaze and the asymmetric position of their ears.
  • However, they did not find evidence supporting the idea that these behaviors were meant as intentional communication towards the human handlers. The sensitivity might rather be a behavioral adaptation than a form of intentional communication.

Significance

  • The study contributes to the growing body of research on horses’ sensitivity to human attentional cues, an aspect not extensively studied before.
  • While it does not confirm intentional communication from horses towards humans, it opens up further areas of investigation in this field.

Cite This Article

APA
Barrera G, Albiach-Serrano A, Guillén-Salazar F. (2024). Exploring horses’ (Equus caballus) gaze and asymmetric ear position in relation to human attentional cues. Anim Cogn, 27(1), 67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-024-01909-y

Publication

Animal cognition
ISSN: 1435-9456
NlmUniqueID: 9814573
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 27
Issue: 1
Pages: 67
PII: 67

Researcher Affiliations

Barrera, Gabriela
  • Ethology and Animal Welfare Section, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain. psgabrielabarrera@gmail.com.
  • Grupo de Investigación del Comportamiento en Cánidos, ICOC (Canid Behavior Research Group), Buenos Aires, Argentina. psgabrielabarrera@gmail.com.
Albiach-Serrano, Anna
  • Ethology and Animal Welfare Section, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain.
Guillén-Salazar, Federico
  • Ethology and Animal Welfare Section, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses / physiology
  • Horses / psychology
  • Animals
  • Attention
  • Cues
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Male
  • Ear / physiology
  • Fixation, Ocular
  • Vocalization, Animal
  • Human-Animal Interaction

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Rodríguez-Sobrino N, Melguizo-Garín A. Effects of Equine Coaching on Psychoemotional Wellbeing: A Pilot Study in Women with and Without Fibromyalgia. Healthcare (Basel) 2025 Oct 25;13(21).
    doi: 10.3390/healthcare13212696pubmed: 41228063google scholar: lookup
  2. Janczarek I, Gazda I, Barłowska J, Kurnik J, Łuszczyński J. Social Isolation of Horses vs. Support Provided by a Human. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 3;15(11).
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